Eigtheen couples, including Prime Minister Sher Bahadaur Deuba and his wife, are contesting general and provincial elections in Nepal.

Deuba is contesting the upcoming elections for the sixth time from Dadeldhura while his wife Arzoo Deuba Rana is in the fray from Kailali-5 constituency.

The Deubas are the sole couple contesting the elections under the first past the post (FPTP) system among prominent leaders and top three political parties.

Nepali Congress leader Bal Krishna Khand and his wife Manju Khand are in the list of proportional representation (PR) category.

Manju is contesting the elections under Khas Arya women category.

Former Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar features in the list of PR category while her husband CPN (Maoist Center) leader Barsha Man Pun is in the election race under the FPTP from Rolpa.

UML Vice Chairman Bam Dev Gautam is contesting the elections to the House of Representatives from Bardiya -1 while his wife Tulasha Thapa is in the list of PR category.

Gautam is contesting the upcoming elections for the sixth time.

UML Standing Committee member Shankar Pokharel is fighting the elections to the member of the Provincial Assembly from Dang while his wife is in the list of PR category. Shakya is the central member under indigenous women category.

Both had started their political career from students life.

CPN (Maoist Center) leader Dev Gurung is contesting from Lamjung under the FPTP while his wife Yashoda Subedi is in the list of PR category.

Gurung had won the elections to the First Constituent Assembly under the FPTP while Subedi had become the lawmaker from PR Category.

Former Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar features in the list of PR category while her husband CPN (Maoist Center) leader Barsha Man Pun is in the election race under the direct system from Rolpa district.

The other prominent couples contesting the elections include CPN--UML Vice Chairman Bam Dev Gautam who is contesting the elections to the House of Representatives from Bardiya -1 and his wife Tulasha Thapa who is in the list of PR category.

Gautam is contesting the upcoming elections for the sixth time.

The general and provincial elections in Nepal were declared on August 21 and are seen as the final step in the Himalayan nation's post-war transition to a federal democracy.

The Maoists have dominated Nepal's politics for more than 20 years after waging a decade-long insurgency against government forces that claimed more than 16,000 lives.

The CPN-UML and the CPN-Maoist have forged electoral alliance for both the provincial and parliamentary elections scheduled for November 26 and December 7 giving a tough fight to ruling Nepali Congress, which emerged as the largest party in the last parliamentary elections.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)